


Unrestrained

by bookswithjackie



Category: Purple Hyacinth - Ephemerys & Sophism (Webcomic)
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Romance, because who doesn't like warm hugs in the snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:48:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28274862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookswithjackie/pseuds/bookswithjackie
Summary: She was, indeed, the loneliest shade of blue with the brightest and loveliest personality.And that made her stand out from everything else.
Relationships: William Hawkes/Kym Ladell
Comments: 11
Kudos: 42





	Unrestrained

**Author's Note:**

> For Mintuos.
> 
> Wishing you a very Merry Christmas, Mint!  
> Here's my gift to you - I hope you like it! :)

It was quiet. _Too_ quiet. 

The deafening silence that flooded the office made Kym look up from the pile of paperwork she was cramming to finish, light brown orbs scanning the room. _Time passes by quickly when you’re occupied, I guess._ Her eyes stopped when they landed on a familiar figure who was currently hunched over—quite uncomfortably—at his desk. 

_Will? He was supposed to leave an hour ago…_

It was Friday, and Christmas was only a few days away. Many of her coworkers had clocked out early considering how they probably had flights to catch, last minute gift shopping to do, or families to visit. _Family._ Oh, how she wished she still had her family to spend the holidays with. 

_I miss you, Mom... Dad..._

Kym lost her parents in a terrible car accident about 4 years ago. She remembered it like it was yesterday, picking up a phone call that had changed her life forever. It was snowing, _storming,_ and a truck in one of the other lanes swerved right into her parent’s car. Ever since then, she had lost all interest in celebrating Christmas. She had always felt alone around this time of the year. She missed her mother’s warm hugs and her father’s corny jokes. She missed their bright smiles every time she came to visit them. Life wasn’t fair—it wasn’t the _same_ without them—but she kept going because that was all that she _could_ do. She wanted to be happy again. She wanted to know what being _loved_ felt like again. 

She immediately stopped herself from thinking about it before any tears threatened to fall. Tidying up her desk area, she quickly glanced over at her Lieutenant. A dark blue brow raised. He hadn’t moved from that position. _Is he sleeping…?_

Kym reached behind her as she got up, grabbing her favorite beige coat, back aching and cracking from sitting in one spot for too long. Curious, she padded softly over to Will. 

Despite his hunched posture, his face was relaxed and comfortable. Kym placed her hand on his shoulders, shaking him gently to wake him up.

“Will,” She called, frowning at the thought of him overworking himself again. “Wake up. You should go home.” 

Will’s eyes shot open, immediately straightening his back. Ocean blues clashed with coppery ambers. 

“Kym?”

“No, it’s Laur— Of course it’s me, you dummy!” She cried, smacking him playfully behind his head. “What are you still doing here?”

Will combed his fingers through his blonde hair, trying to calm the throbbing headache that was beginning to form. “I should be asking you the same thing.” 

“I was just finishing up some paperwork.” She said curtly, realizing how odd that must’ve sounded coming from her. 

“ _YOU?_ Getting work done _early_?” Will sputtered. “The world must be ending.” 

The Lieutenant looked at her as if she’d grown a third head. He had never once doubted the quality of her work. Kym was an exceptional sharpshooter and Sergeant, however, she was also widely known for her _procrastination habits_ throughout the precinct. Will hesitated when he noticed her solemn expression, afraid that he might’ve said something that offended her. 

The buzzing of the ceiling lights filled the awkward silence that fell upon them, neither one knowing what to say to each other. 

Will cleared his throat, a dull attempt to break the stillness in the room. “Well, it seems like we’re on the same page. I was trying to get stuff done before the holidays as well.” 

_Holidays. Christmas. Family…_

Her eyebrows were pulled slightly closer, the corners of her mouth drawn downwards, lips pressed tightly to form a straight line. It was all very subtle. If it were anyone else, they would’ve missed it. But this was William Hawkes, and he had always been able to notice these little things about her. She broke his gaze, eyes glassy as the thought of her parents flooded her mind again. _This always happens around this time of the year, damn it._

“Hey, um, is everything alright?” He asked, voice laced with concern. 

Returning to her usual bubbly self, she chirped, forcing a smile, “Aha, I’m fine!”

Will certainly didn’t buy any of that—he wasn’t a fool, but decided not to push on the subject any further. 

“Anyways! Are you doing anything tonight?”

He was taken aback. Will knew something was bothering her, but his eyes widened, suddenly losing his train of thought. Kym seemed to have realized what she just said, and her smile faltered. She didn’t know what came over her. Maybe it was because she missed having someone to go home to. Maybe it was because she envied those who were _happy— who still had a family_. Maybe she just wanted Will’s company. Or maybe it was just the loneliness inside her speaking. 

Upon noticing his reaction and what she had just blurted out, she flushed, “Oh— that was— I didn’t mean it like that. Sorry. I’m— never mind. Forget what I sa—”

“No.” 

“What?”

“I’m not doing anything.” 

“Oh.” 

Will looked over at her, cheek slightly dimpled as a small grin tugged at his lips. “Were you... going to ask me something?”

“Ah well,” She pursed her lips, debating whether or not it was appropriate of her to ask her Lieutenant such a thing. “Would you like to come over for dinner?”

“Dinner sounds lovely.” 

* * *

The snow sparkled with white crystals, hardened so that the newly fallen snow bounced on top every time a breeze stirred the air. It coated the branches of the dead trees that decorated the streets of Ardhalis, making it appear less lifeless amid the animated city. The incandescent lamp posts painted the city gold, giving it a breathtaking winter wonderland-esque vibe. Sights like these allowed Kym to escape from the real world, even if it was just for a little bit. It made her feel cozy and relaxed— _nostalgic—_ just like home. 

The snow crunched softly beneath their feet as they walked side by side. When a slight shiver ran through Kym’s body, she instinctively brought her hands up to rub her upper arms back and forth. Despite it being her favorite coat, it surely didn’t do a good job keeping her warm during these harsh winters. 

Something shifted out of the corner of her eye and not even a second later, she felt herself being draped with a much larger coat. 

“Are you crazy?!” She turned to Will, who had already started to walk ahead of her, hands in his pockets. “Come back here! You’re gonna catch a cold, you idiot!” 

He smirked, but said nothing. Kym fumbled with his coat, rushing up behind him as she tried to hand it back. But before she could completely take it off, she felt warm hands engulfing her much smaller frigid ones. She looked up at him and was immediately trapped in the captivating blue of his eyes. _How beautiful._

“ _I’m_ going to catch a cold?” He scoffed, “ _You’re_ the one shaking like a leaf in that thin coat.” 

“I am NOT—”

“Kym, don’t try to argue with me.” Will reached out and positioned his coat more securely around her small frame, dusting off the little flurries of snow that had landed on the fabric. “I’m wearing another coat underneath. See? Don’t worry about me.” 

Grabbing her hands again, he began to rub them back back and forth quickly, trying to warm them up. “Your hands are as cold as ice.” 

Kym turned her head to the side. “Who said I was worried about _you_?” She pouted, seeing no point in partaking in an argument that she had already lost. 

His eyes glinted with adoration, becoming a deeper blue, as he looked at Kym. She was stunningly beautiful— _breathtaking_ —standing there, amidst the snowflakes that fell from the starlit sky. He had been wanting to tell her how he felt for quite some time now, but due to _unfortunate_ _circumstances_ regarding his Father and Darcy’s girl—whoever the hell that is—he hesitated. He couldn’t risk confessing to her if he knew that he was only going to break her heart afterwards. But even the _thought_ of letting her go was enough to shatter him into a million pieces. _He would take a bullet for her._ Truth was, he couldn’t imagine life without her. Call him selfish but William Hawkes had had enough. For once, he was going to do what he wanted. 

Without giving her any warning, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close, gently rubbing her arm. This was the second time that he’d surprised her this evening and for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse his touch. Despite the heaviness in her stomach, it fluttered at the feeling of her body pressed against his. She sunk into the warmth of his body, breathing in his scent and was struck with cedar wood and citrus. _He smelled nice._ She had yearned for this warmth for _so damn long_. 

Suddenly, it didn’t feel so cold anymore. It felt _right_. He felt like _home._ She slowly brought her arms up and returned the gesture. Arms squeezing him firmly so that he wouldn’t disappear through her grasp, an effort to prolong the contact. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Will muttered, tightening his hold briefly to let her know that he wasn’t going anywhere. 

She shook her head against his chest. 

Time seemed to have stopped as they stayed in each other’s embrace, forgetting everything else that was around them. 

That intimate moment came to an end when a snowball came flying at Will’s shoulders, splattering upon contact into a thousand crystal fragments. They quickly pulled apart, confusion washed over both of their faces. From a distance they heard a high-pitched voice call out a hasty, “Sorry, Sir!” as the kid began to construct another snowball in his hands, wasting no time to chase after his friends.

Will was annoyed—and it showed on his face. His brows furrowed, eyes glaring into the space where the kid left. He couldn’t enjoy a _single_ moment with Kym— _alone_ —without some kind of interruption. 

The sweetest, most melodic laugh rang through the silent night, breaking Will out of his sulk. She was, indeed, the _loneliest shade of blue_ with the _brightest and loveliest_ personality. It made her stand out from everything else. 

He took a glance at her and grumbled. “What?”

Wiping tears that formed at the corner of her eyes, she smiled and said, “Oh, nothing! _Nothing at all_!” And for the first time in a long time, she felt genuinely _happy._ Taking a step closer to her Lieutenant, she reached up to his shoulder to pat away the snow. 

“Thank you… For everything.” She whispered, voice cracking as the last two words were uttered.

The tears that escaped her red-rimmed eyes were not from laughter, but from _happiness—relief_. She didn’t bother wiping them. They kept streaming down her face as she continued to clear the—now melted—snow on Will’s shoulder. His eyes softened at the sight of her crying. Seeing Kym like this made his heart ache terribly. She was always so good at hiding her feelings, but her façade was slowly starting to crack. 

Leaning down, he lifted her chin with his hand and gazed into her eyes lovingly. They didn’t have to say anything to know what the other was thinking— _wanting._

“You know that you never have to restrain yourself when you’re around me, right?” Will muttered, quoting her, as he reminded her of the words that she once said to him.

Her heart skipped a beat, eyes welling up with tears again, spilling over like a broken dam. “Will, I— I have _so much_ to tell you. But I—”

Will took this opportunity to silence her with a kiss. In that kiss was the sweetness of passion, a million loving thoughts condensed into a moment. It wasn’t anything like the ones in the movies, but it was _real_ and _warm_ and everything that she had imagined it to be and so much more.

He slowly pulled back, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything right now.” The smile that he gave her was like a beam of sunlight, making her heart flutter. 

“Now— I’m starving. How about that dinner you offered, Sergeant?” He teased, chuckling at the sight of her sudden realization. “Don’t tell me you forgot already!”

Kym snapped out of her daze, a hand coming up to swipe brusquely at her face. “Wha— Of course not! Let’s go!” Grabbing his wrist, she pulled him in the direction of her apartment and he had no choice but to follow. They left imprints of their footsteps in the snow as the sound of it echoed throughout the night sky.

* * *

Kym was bustling about in the kitchen, happily cooking as she hummed a tune that Will recognized— _our lullaby_. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Will didn’t know when it exactly happened, but she had completely stolen his whole heart and soul. Maybe it was when he’d decided to run after her after Harvey’s death. Maybe it was when she yelled at him for always being hard on himself. Or maybe it was way before all of that, when she had spilled coffee all over his paperwork on her very first day at the precinct. _Who knows._

But he wouldn’t trade her for anything in this world. 

He suddenly got out of his seat at the dinner table, coming up from behind Kym and wrapping his arms around her waist, her back pressed up against his front. He placed his chin on the slight dip of her shoulder, nose brushing gently against the soft ivory skin, breathing in her sweet scent. “What are you—”

Before she could finish what she was saying, he turned his head slightly to plant a soft kiss on her cheek. 

“ _I love you._ ” He whispered in her ears. 

And in that moment, nothing else mattered more. 

_She had finally found her happiness. She was no longer alone._

**Author's Note:**

> Because we need more Kywi fics.
> 
> Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I hope that you all have a safe and relaxing holiday season (because I think we all deserve it). 
> 
> To everyone that I met in this wonderful PH fandom - Thank you for being so welcoming and supportive of everything that I put out, and for making the whole experience worthwhile. Y'all are truly amazing. 
> 
> \- Jackie :)


End file.
